The winner of this year's Sir Alec Guinness award, sponsored by the Catholic Association of Performing Arts, is Beth Cunninghame Graham, a final year drama student at Arts Educational.

The award was presented to Beth by actress Dame Eileen Atkins, at the Drama Centre in Covent Garden on 29 February. Dame Eileen was a life-long friend of Sir Alec. Dame Eileen has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Old Vic, and several theatres in the West End as repertory theatre and television. She also co-wrote Upstairs Downstairs.

The award is funded through a bequest from Sir Alec Guinness who was for many years Vice President of the Association.